1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connector technology and more particularly, to a board-to-board connector made in the form of the combination of a male connector and a female connector so that two identical board-to-board connectors can be used as a mating pair for connection between two electronic devices, facilitating the manufacturing and installation costs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Following fast development of computer, network and electronic information technologies, various advanced computers, notebooks, tablet computers, smart phones and many other advanced electronic devices and systems have been well developed and widely used for different applications. Further, it is the market trend to create electronic devices having light, thin, short and small characteristics. In consequence, circuit board electronic components must be made extremely strong, small and precise.
Further, many different male and female mating electrical connectors may be used in an electronic apparatus to connect different components and parts for signal transmission from one circuit board to a control circuit. The male and female mating electrical connectors have different structural designs that are separately fabricated using different molds and by means of different manufacturing processes, thus increasing the cost. When designing male and female electrical connectors, the industry must consider the factors of connector quality, manufacturing cost and connection stability and reliability.
When connecting a male electrical connector and a mating female electrical connector, the male electrical connector and the mating female electrical connector may be attached together in an inaccurate direction due to lack in guide means between the male electrical connector and the mating female electrical connector, causing permanent deformation of the conducting terminals or damage of component parts, or connection instability between the conducting terminals of the male electrical connector and the conducting terminals of the female electrical connector.
Further, the electrically insulative connector bodies of a mating pair of male electrical connector and female electrical connector commonly have an enclosed bottom side, and the limited internal space in electrically insulative connector bodies limits the range of elastic deformation of the respective conducting terminals. When forcing the conducting terminals of the male electrical connector into contact with the conducting terminals of the female electrical connector, the conducting terminals are be heavy rubbed, causing damage. Further, after connection between the male electrical connector and the female electrical connector, the conducting terminals of the male electrical connector may be stuck in the conducting terminals of the female electrical connector, leading to further dismounting trouble. Therefore, when designing the electrically insulative connector body of a male or female electrical connector, the industry must consider the space arrangement for conducting terminals that determines low profile characteristic of the connector.